I Have Glutening Symptoms...yay?

It's been a weird weekend because I had what I think I had a fairly immediate reaction to a food and I'm happy to know that I shouldn't be eating it. But I'm also sad because I want to eat it :-p

To start with when I first went gluten free after my blood test for a month or so, and then I went back on gluten for the biopsy, I didn't notice anything close to immediate. After a week or so I got more bloated, but that was it. Since then, I've never had a clear-cut reaction to anything until now.

It was nuts from bulk barn. I made a pecan crumb crust for a fruit tart and my tongue stung a little when I ate it, like I had mouth sores, even though I didn't have any. The rash on the back of my neck is the giveaway though. It's not too bad, but it's still there 24 hours later. I've never really had a rash like this before, only ever gotten a few bumps on my forearms in the past few years.

I also noticed a similar reaction in my mouth -actually it was much worse then- when I made a fake cheesecake from bulk barn cashews for new years. Burning mouth. But I had been having mouth sores for awhile before that, and it had lime juice and was pretty acidic.

I have also noticed that since my face has cleared up being gluten free, I get odd acne breakouts on it and my upper back/shoulders, but I've been very hesitant to think it could be gluten. I think that it likely is gluten now, but still have no real idea what the gluten is in. Well, that's not entirely true, I'm getting more concerned about eating at my parents, which is really shitty. My parents and I have had a very angry relationship (or not a relationship) for many years, and we've come to a sort of peace where get together for dinner every week or so. My mom was very quick to take up cooking gluten free, and cooking's her thing, her way of showing she cares. But with the risk of CC in her house...ugh, this is really a relationship issue....why do things revolve around food so much and why is wheat so pervasive?!

Another possible gluten reaction I think I might get is just getting really tired and/or moody. Again, that's really hard to pinpoint, and the one time where it seemed like it had to be linked to eating at someone else's house I didn't notice any other reaction, like a burning mouth or rash or acne.

And then there's the everpresent pain in my hands and feet. It got really bad a couple weeks after the holidays were over, the holidays when I ate out a fair bit and made that cheesecake. And I just read that some specialists think neuropathy might be more sensitive to gluten than villi damage, or at least that's the only explanation that makes sense for people whose neurological problems don't get better or even get worse being gluten free.

Just venting some I guess. Probably should have put this is in the journal I can have in my profile or wherever it is. I guess I'm happy I still have some sort of radar for gluten now...wish it told me where exactly it came from while it caused the rash. Maybe write out 'nuts' on my skin.

I went totally off of gluten and for a while had no breakouts or sores. Then the mouth sores, rashes on my stomach, back, and neck came back. It was the stinging without the sores when I put chocolate covered almonds in my mouth. Kind of thinking it's either nuts or chocolate on top of the gluten. Thank you for sharing. Was wondering if someone else has experienced this before.

"It was the stinging without the sores when I put chocolate covered almonds in my mouth"

Well, I'm having a frustrating time finding any nuts that are gluten free. I've been buying the bulk barn ones that aren't roasted or anything, and although the label didn't say gluten free, they've been one of the few that didn't say may contain traces of or outright contain wheat. And they aren't next to the flours, only next to other nuts, but that's obviously not good enough and I should have been more cautious. I just haven't found any nuts in 3 grocery stores that don't say 'may contain wheat' right on them.

I may or may not have an issue with chocolate. I thought it was one of the things making my tongue dry, but dairy also does that to me and I've since found chocolate that has no traces of dairy too and it seems chocolate isn't causing issues anymore. I say 'seems like' because my tongue is often dry and I don't know how long a reaction to something would last.

In any case, I would first think that your chocolate covered almonds have traces of wheat on them before thinking it's chocolate. Most confections seem to.

"It was the stinging without the sores when I put chocolate covered almonds in my mouth"

Well, I'm having a frustrating time finding any nuts that are gluten free. I've been buying the bulk barn ones that aren't roasted or anything, and although the label didn't say gluten free, they've been one of the few that didn't say may contain traces of or outright contain wheat. And they aren't next to the flours, only next to other nuts, but that's obviously not good enough and I should have been more cautious. I just haven't found any nuts in 3 grocery stores that don't say 'may contain wheat' right on them.

I may or may not have an issue with chocolate. I thought it was one of the things making my tongue dry, but dairy also does that to me and I've since found chocolate that has no traces of dairy too and it seems chocolate isn't causing issues anymore. I say 'seems like' because my tongue is often dry and I don't know how long a reaction to something would last.

In any case, I would first think that your chocolate covered almonds have traces of wheat on them before thinking it's chocolate. Most confections seem to.

hi cavernio

went gluten and dairy free for 3 days after a week of gluten and dairy light and thought i saw an improvement in the rash on my face and my palms seemed to have softened up. then went to my friends for tea - id taken something to eat but she,d made me cheese and onion pie - didnt have the heart to tell her i,d made changes to my diet - so i ate it. well 2 days later, palms are dry and cracked and face is all red and blotchy again!!

on another note i feel im gonna have a problem with nuts - ive given up chocolate already coz of acid reflux. i get a tingly feeling on my tongue and feel myself rubbing it backwards and forwards on my top teeth - drives me mad! and i must look like an idiot while im doing it lol. bought a nut free seed bar though and felt the same thing- so maybe i have a prob with seeds too